Golf club



Oct. 8, 1940. G. FULLER 2,217,338

GOLF CLUB Filed Sept. 26, 1939 INVENTOR Gage Fui/er: Mafia EYS Patented Oct. 8, 1940 UNETED STATES {PATENT orrice 1 GOLF CLUB George Fuller, Buffalo, N. Y.. Application September 26, 1939,.S erial No. 296,645

11 Claims. (o 273 579) My invention relates in general to golf clubs and in particular to that type of golf club having an adjustable head.

' It is well known to those skilled in the art that attempts have heretofore been made to construct golf clubs with adjustable heads whereby the loft or lift of the club may be adjusted to a position suitable for the stroke at hand. Such devices, however, have depended upon tapers, ratchets or gears for holding the head in adjusted position and upon springs to lock the parts together. Such devices usually involve intricate and complicated mechanical construction which in many cases is not only bulky but adds considerably to the weight of the club.

The principal object of my invention has been to provide an adjustable golf club which shall be light in weight and which shall closely resemble the ordinary solid club.

Another object has been to provide a club having a head which may be adjusted through any desired range of positions by rotating the head in either direction, provision being made to lock the headin its adjusted position. I

A further object of my invention has been to provide means for securely holding the head in initial adjusted position while the player determines whether such position is correct, after which the head may be securely locked without danger of changing its adjustment.

Moreover, my device is provided with an index pin by which the user may repeatedly set the head to any desired angle, together with stops for limiting the rotation of the head beyond the putter position.

Moreover, the adjustment of the head of my club is effected by the relative rotation. of serrated or notched surfaces which may be counted as the head is rotated, whereby accurate adjustment may be made by a golfer who may not, for any reason, be able to see the graduations provided on the club, but could readily sense the number of clicks or hear them.

Furthermore, the head of my club is so shaped that, when in the niblick position, a supporting surface of considerable area will be brought to a position of parallel relationship to the turf at the time of the impact with the ball.

The above objects and advantages have been accomplished by the device shown in the accompanying drawing, of which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a golf club embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a planvie w of the same. v

Fig. 3 is an end elevation, showing'the head in a number of possible positions. i

Fig. 4 is a face view of the head taken from the inner end thereof showing the detent.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional elevation of parts of the golf club taken through the center line of the detent.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a wrench for actuating the retaining screw of the golf club head.

. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a modified form of stop for the head, taken on line of Fig. 8.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary, longitudinal, sectional view of the modification shown in Fig.- 7 and is taken on line 8-8 of Fig. '7.

In the drawing, II] shows the shaft of the club,

which has a shank II at its lower end. This shank is formed with a solid neck l2 from which extends the spindle 13 of my device. The spindle is preferably formed integrally with the shank l I so that a very rigid structure'is brought about: The spindle is so arranged inv relation to the shank that the-face of the head lies in a plane behind the plane of the'shank which gives to the club-a better balance or hang and positions the face as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4;

The head M of my club is made of solid metal and is formeed on its back face l5 with a longitudinally arranged reinforcing" boss IS. The metal of the head is made relatively thin for the sake of lightness and it is reinforced by means of a number of stiffening ribs I! and I8. This boss i6 is preferably semi-cylindrical in form and is joined to the lower edge 20 of the head by means of a supporting surface 2|. This surface will lie substantially parallel with the turf when the head is in the niblick position, whereby an extended area is presented to the turf if needed duringthe drive.

The reinforcing boss I6 is formed with alongitudinal bore 22 extending from the inner end to a point near the outer end where a counterbore 23 is preferably formed. The bore 22 is substantially the same diameter as the spindle l3 and the head is thereby rotatably mounted upon the spindle. The counterbore 23 is somewhat larger than the bore 22 whereby a shoulder 24 is formed.

A sleeve 25 is mounted within the bore 23 and is designed to bear against the shoulder 24.

The spindle I3 maybe provided with a bore 26 extending the entire length thereof in order to decrease the weight of the golf club and the outer end of this bore isprovided with suitable screwthreads for the reception of a retaining screw 30. This screw passes through a suitable 1 3 It.is desirable to have my golf club graduated bore 3| formed through the sleeve 25 and which is also provided with a counterbore 32 for the reception of the head 33 of the retaining screw '30.

venient wrench is shown in Fig. 6 in the form of a key 35 having a stud 36 for insertion into the socket of the screw head, shown for convenience providing ,a stop lug 54 carried by the neck as hexagonal,- for engagement with the hexagonal recess 34 of an Allen type screw. A shank 40 is formed adjacent to the stud, at the outer end of which is a thumb piece 4|, whereby the stud 36 may be conveniently operated. The shank 40 is preferably formed with an annular groove with which a ring 42 is pivotally engaged. A chain 43 having a ring 44 at its outer end may be attached to the ring 42 and suspended from the players' belt or'other convenientlylocated place where it will be accessible when the golfer desires to change the, angle of the head.-

The ,neck' |2 of my club shaft is formed with a shankeboss 45 which surrounds .theinner: end of the-spindle |3and in the face of which is formed a series of V-shapedgrooves 46 whereby a plurality of interspaced and radially arranged ridges 5|l' .are provided. The .inner face ,of the head Isl-surrounding the bore 22 is providedwith a head :flange, 5| which, is also provided with a series of radially arranged ridges 52 formed by interspaced grooves 53. The ridges and grooves 46 'are so proportioned that. they interengage, respectively, with the. grooves 53 and ridges 52. The spindle I3 is preferably of such length that thesleeve Z5"Wl11 firmly bear against the'shoulder 24 and force the head endwise to such a position where the interengaged ridges 5ll and '52 :will be firmly held in engagement. ;,.Since the head of my device can be operated in either direction when adjusting the position thereof, itis preferable to stop the rotation of the head when it has reached the limit of pos-' sible adjustmentin one direction as, for instance, the putter position. This is brought about by l2 and adjacent the shank boss 45, and'by a cooperating stop lug 55 carried by thehead 4 and adjacent the head flange 5|.

so' that the head when set at various angles will correspond to the various well-known clubs. In some instances, a player may find that a certain angle (different from the angle of stock clubs) may best suit his stroke, in which case the num-- ber'of the'gr'a'duation for thisangle may be noted for repeated settings. In order to bring about the visible setting of boss .45 is provided with a; plurality of'lines; 56 terminating atthe base of the V-shaped grooves 46fo'rmed'therein. Each of these lines is identi-' fied by an 'index of some sort, preferably'fa numeral. The head I4 is provided with a registering index line 66 which may be brought opposite any one of the lines on the shank boss in well-known manner;

' Since it is desirable to hold the head "in an initially adjusted position in a non-locking manher to allow the golfer to determine the correct: ness of the selected angle 'beforehe makes the drive. I provide spring-pressed means for-temporarily holding the head in any desired position, comprising a spring actuated detent 6| slidably mounted in a bore 62 formed in the head M and my club head the shank the flange thereof. This detent has its outer end formed with a V-shaped point 63. for engagement with the V-shaped grooves 46 formed in the shank boss 45. The detent is formed throughout substantially its entire length with a bore 64 open at the inner end. A helical spring 65 is mounted within the bores 62 and 64. One end of the spring bears against the bottom of the bore 62 and the other end against the inner face of the point 63, whereby the normal tendency of the detent is to be pushed out of the bore 32. As shown in Fig. 5,

it will be obvious that when the retaining screw 39 is loosened sufficiently to allow the V-shaped ing groove 45 when the head has been moved to the. desired position. Thus the golfer may initially adjust the head by freely rotating the same in either direction to what he believes is the desired position thereof and v thereafter place the ,head in position at or near the ball to determine whether the selected angle is correct. The detent will keep the head in such initial position during this operation and, since it engages with one of the V,-, shaped grooves, it will cause the grooves and ridges of the coacting surfaces to be brought into registration and held there until such surfaces are brought into their final locked position by means of the retaining screw. After adjustment, movement of the retaining screw causes the head to be moved axially upon the, spindle to bring the serrations in thecoacting surfaces of the head and spindlev into locking engagement, independently of the detent means. If the golferis unablefor any reason to see the graduations on the club, he may first move the head to the putter position by bringing the stop lug- 55 in contact with the stop lug 54, after which he may rotate the head toward the desired position andcount the number of notches, as viewed in Fig. 3. When the detent passes over the ridges 50 the golfer may hear the clicks or determine the correct number by the sense of feel. Since it is also desirable to separate the engaging teeth of the head flange and shank boss upon loosening of the screw, so that immediate adjustment of the parts suificiently strong to slide the head along the spindle as the screw is loosened.

When my club is to be adjusted to a different angle, it is only necessary for the golfer to loosen the retaining screw veniently located key 35, whereupon the spring 65, through the medium of the detent will force the head |4 endwise upon the spindle l3, whereby the coaoting ridges 50 and 52 will be disengaged sufiiciently to permit the head to be rotated to the. desired position against the tension of the detent 6|. When the head has been adjusted to the desired the. retaining screw to its locking position.

In Figs. 7 and 8 Ishow a modified form of stop for the head 16. In these figures 1| represents the spindle which is formed'in its periphery with an arcuate slot 12, with which the smooth cylin-' drical end 13 of a stop screw 14 is engageable. The slot 12 is so positioned and proportioned that the screw end 13 will contact with one end of the slot when it is in the putter position, as shown in Fig. 7, the slot being of sufiicient length so as to permit sufiicient rotative movement to allow plac ing the head in any desired angular position. The slot 12 is considerably wider than the diameter of the screw end 13, as shown in Fig.8, thereby 30 by means of thecon-' permitting the necessary axial movement for disengagement of the serrated surfaces at the joint between the head and the shaft, shown and described in connection with the other form of my invention. The screw 74 passes through a boss formed on the back of the head, as shown in Fig. l, and a set screw TE passes into the boss and engages with the screw 14 to lock it in its adjusted position.

While I have shown the adjacent coacting faces of the head flange 52 and the shank boss 45 provided with radially arranged V-shaped ridges formed by interspaced, V-shaped grooves, it is obvious that any other suitable form of serrations may be formed on these interengaging surfaces, and the shank boss, for instance, may be formed with a series of recesses or indentations of semi-spherical shape engageable by suitable semi-spherical protuberances formed on the adjacent face of the head flange. In such an arrangement, the conically shaped end 63 of the spring-pressed detent 6| would engage with one of such semi-spherical recesses when the head was brought to its desired adjusted position, after which the other semi-spherical protuberances would be brought into engagement with the registering semi-spherical recesses of the shank boss for holding the head non-rotatively in position upon the spindle when the retaining screw is drawn up to locking position.

Obviously. these and other modifications of the details herein shown and described may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the appended claims and I do not, therefore, wish to be limited to the exact embodiments herein shown and described, the forms shown being merely preferred embodiments thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A golf club, comprising a shaft, an integral spindle carried by said shaft, a head rotatably mounted upon said spindle, said shaft being being provided with a boss located at the inner end of the spindle and formed with a plurality of V-shaped ridges and interspaced grooves, said head being formed in its inner end with a flange having its face formed with a plurality of V- shaped ridges formed by interspaced, V-shaped grooves, said ridges and grooves of said head being engageable, respectively, with said grooves and ridges of said shaft for locking the head upon the spindle in non-rotatable manner, a springpressed plunger carried by said head and having a conically-shaped point for engagement with the ridges and grooves of the shaft for temporarily adjusting the head upon the spindle, and means for forcing the head endwise upon the spindle and locking the engagement surfaces in place.

2. A golf club, comprising a shaft, an integral spindle carried by said shaft, a head rotatably mounted and axially movable upon said spindle, spring-pressed detent means carried by said shaft and said head for temporarily holding said head in any adjusted position, and locking means ".n dependent of the detent means for locking said head upon said shaft in non-rotatable manner.

3. A golf club, comprising a shaft, an integral spindle carried by said shaft and having its axis in a plane located behind the axis of the shaft. a head rotatably mounted and axially movable upon said spindle, spring-pressed detent means carried by said shaft and said head for tempo rarily holding said head in any adjusted position,

and locking means independent of the detent means for locking said head upon said shaft in non-rotatable manner.

4. A golf club, comprising a shaft, an integral spindle carried by said shaft, a head rotatably mounted and axially movable upon said spindle, said head and said spindle having interengaging surfaces so formed as to prevent their relative rotation when engaged and locked against relative axial movement, non-locking springpressed detent means emerging from one of said surfaces and engaging with the opposite surface for temporarily holding the parts in their adjusted position, and means for forcing and holding said surfaces together, whereby the head will be held upon the shaft in non-rotative manner.

5. A golf club, comprising a shaft, an integral spindle carried by said shaft, a head rotatably mounted and axially movable upon said spindle, said head and said spindle having interengaging surfaces so formed as to prevent their relative rotation when engaged and locked against relative axial movement, a non-locking springpressed plunger emerging from one of said surfaces and engaging with the opposite surface for temporarily holding the parts in their adjusted position, and means for forcing and holding said surfaces together, whereby the head will be held upon the shaft in non-rotative manner.

6. A golf club, comprising a shaft, an integral spindle carried by said shaft, a head rotatably mounted upon said spindle, said shaft being formed with a plurality of V-shaped ridges and interspaced grooves adjacent the inner end of the spindle, said head being formed in its inner end with a plurality of V-shaped ridges formed by interspaced, V-shaped grooves, said ridges and grooves of said head being engageable, respectively, with said grooves and ridges of said shaft for locking the head upon the spindle in non-rotatable manner, a spring-pressed plunger carried by said head for engagement with the ridges and grooves of the shaft for temporarily adjusting the head upon the spindle, and means for forcing the head endwise upon the spindle and locking the engaging surfaces in place.

7. A golf club, comprising a shaft, an integral spindle carried by said shaft, a head rotatably mounted and axially movable upon said spindle, non-locking detent means carried by said spindle and said head, said detent means normally tending to move said head endwise on said spindle toward the outer end thereof for permitting adjustment of said head, and locking means between said head and spindle and formed with coacting serrated surfaces, said detent means coacting with one of said serrated surfaces.

8. A golf club, comprising a shaft, an integral spindle carried by said shaft, a head rotatably mounted and axially movable upon said spindle, non-locking detent means for yieldably holding the head in its initially adjusted position and locking means for permanently fixing the head and spindle in their adjusted positions, said detent means serving to temporarily hold said head in its adjusted position until said locking means is actuated.

9. A golf club, comprising a shaft, an integral spindle carried by said shaft, a head rotatably mounted and axially movable upon said spindle, non-locking detent means for yieldably holding the head in its initially adjusted position, looking means carried by said head and said spindle and formed with serrated coacting surfaces, and said detent means engaging with one of said oo- "acting surfaces to register said coacting surfaces and hold them in such registration until lockingly engaged.

10. A golf club, comprising a shaft, an integral spindle carried by said shaft, a head rotatably mounted and axially movable upon said spindle, a shoulder formed on saidshaft adjacent the inner end of said spindle, notches formed in the face of said shoulder, non-locking spring-pressed detent means carried by said head and engageable with said notches for causing a clicking sound upon relative rotation of the parts, suitable stop means carried by said shaft and said head for limiting their relative rotative movement and initiating a starting point, whereby said head may be adjusted from the position at the starting point by counting the number of clicks, and means forrlocking said head upon said shaft in non-rotatable manner.

11. A golf club, comprising a shaft, an integral spindle carried by said shaft, a head rotatably mounted and axially movable upon said spindle, a shoulder formed on said shaft adjacent the inner end of said spindle, notches formed in the face of said shoulder, a non-locking springpressed plunger carried by said head and engageable with said notches for causing a clicking sound upon relative rotation of the parts, suitable stop means carried by said shaft and said head for limiting their relative rotative movement and initiating a starting point, whereby said head may be adjusted from the position at the starting point by counting the number of clicks, and means for locking said head upon said shaft in non-rotatable manner.

GEORGE FULLER. 

